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>> Thursday, September 8, 2011

One of the many reasons I try to take my camera everywhere with me is because it makes me look for opportunities to capture some of the hidden beauty in the world that is sometimes overlooked as the mundane and ordinary. I think sometimes we don't expect to see beauty in the unexpected places. But isn't it usually there that we often see it shining through the most?

There are times however where those unanticipated beauty cannot be captured by the camera. They might be in words overheard on the train, gestures seen in the elevator, or feelings expressed over a cup of hot chocolate. But I'm not too good with capturing those kind of moments with words.

I took the following photos recently...they are not what you might call beautiful or great shots by any stretch but the stories and moments associated with them are.

Carrot cakes are my replacement banana cakes in the days when bananas are still over ten dollars per kilo. Like banana cakes, they are non-fussy and non-pretentious. You eat them for what they are and not because how they look.

I recently bought Joanne Chang's Flour cookbook which proved to be a lot of fun reading especially the stories associated with each of the recipes. But to be honest I wasn't thrilled initially when I flipped it through as it was loaded with recipes that I don't normally like to make...well just treats which require a lot of ingredients that I try to minimize in my diet (which rules out most of the delicious baked goodies I know!) But after trying a few recipes here and there with everything turning out delicious, I realised that maybe I just needed to learn portion control. Or give away the cake as soon as I take a slice. (Which didn't happen this this case unfortunately....)

This carrot cake is the best I've made (yes, even compared Sydney's own Bourke Street Bakery version I made last year). It is everything I want a carrot cake to be: loads of shredded carrots for that moist crumbly texture, just the right portion of spices, juicy sweet raisin and crunchy walnuts. I don't normally frost my carrot cakes but this time I followed through the recipe and just decreased the icing sugar amount by a little bit. And instead of a thick layer of frosting in the middle layer of the cake, I just had a thin-ish layer of it - which was just the right amount for me!

For the carrot cake:

1. Position a rack in the center of the oven, and heat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour an 8-inch cake pan (or line a standard 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners).

2. Using a stand mixer fitted with the whip attachment (or a handheld mixer), beat together the eggs and brown sugar on medium-high speed for 3–4 minutes, or until the mixture is light and thick. (This step will take 8–10 minutes if using a handheld mixer.) In a small bowl or pitcher, whisk together the oil, buttermilk, and vanilla. On low speed, slowly pour the oil mixture into the egg-sugar mixture. This should take about 30 seconds.

3. In a small bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and ginger. Using a rubber spatula, fold the flour mixture into the egg-sugar mixture. When most of the flour mixture has been incorporated, add the carrots, raisins, and walnuts and continue to fold until the batter is homogenous. Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan (or divide evenly among the prepared muffin cups).

4. Bake the cake flour for about 1 hour and 20 minutes (or the cupcakes for about 50 minutes), or until the top is golden brown and springs back when pressed in the middle with a fingertip. Let cool completley in the pan on a wire rack.

For the cream cheese frosting:

5. While the cake is baking, put the cream cheese in the stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, and beat on medium speed for about 1 minute, or until smooth. If you have forgotten to take the cream cheese out of the refrigerator 4 hours in advance, you can softren it in a microwave on medium power for 30 seconds. Add the butter and continue to beat for another 1 minute. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl and add the confectioners' sugar. Beat for 1 more minute, or until well mixed. You should have about 3 1/2 cups.

6. Cover the frosting and refrigerate for 2–3 hours before using to allow it firm up enough to pipe and spread. (The frosting can be made up to 5 days in advance and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.)

7. Remove the cake from the pan and split it into two layers. Place the bottom layer, cut-side up, on a cake plate. Spoon about half of the frosting onto the layer and, using an offset spatula, spread it evenly to the edges. Place the top layer, cut-side down, on top and press down to adhere. Spoon on about 1 cup of the frosting and spread it over the top and down the sides of the cake. This is the crumb coat which will keep any loose crumbs from migrating to the surface of the finished cake. Spoon the remaining frosting on top of the cake, and spread it evenly across the top and down the sides.

(If you have baked cupcakes, remove them from the muffin tin. Fit a pastry bag with a 1/2-inch star tip and fill the bag with the frosting, then pipe the frosting onto the cupcakes. Or, spread the frosting on the cupcakes with an icing spatula.

8. The cake (or cupcakes) can be stored in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. It is best served a littel cooler than room temperature, so remove it from the refrigerator about 2 hours before serving.

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comments:

Wow...you take your camera out with you all the time?!?!? I barely take my camera out because I'm always too scared I'll break it :) haha....But I get what you mean- there are so many times when I see things and wish I had my camera with me to capture the moment!! Your carrot cake looks really good (especially the icing!)! I don't really like carrot cake, but i have to say, I'm tempted to try this after seeing these beautiful pictures and reading your description!!

This looks fantastic! My husband loves carrot cake, I might have to make this for his upcoming birthday. And WOW! $10 a kilo?? Ouch. I'm sorry. Bananas in our area cost about $1/kilo... I'm not making you feel any better about this situation, am I? Oops ;)

Love the photo of the alliums - and that's one cute cat! But the cake! Wow! Super gorgeous. I never say no to carrot cake, and you just had to slather that decadent cream cheese icing on it. Thank You!

I love your take on the opera house, just the perfect size and capture of content comfort. ;)I always wonder about the beginning of a carrotcake, who would have thought to put carrot in the cake, a drunk/stoned escapades...?

I know just what you mean with the camera. I find more and more that I feel like I've forgotten a part of me when I go out without it. There is always something of beauty I wish I could take a picture of.

I have had such a craving for carrot cake lately. It's not my favorite cake, but I love a good slice of it every now and then. This one looks delicious! I need to look up the cookbook as well.

Dolly: Hehe did you end up baking it? I hope so, so that u can compare with your go-to recipe and let me know which is nicer :) Regarding your question - my cake didn't rise much too (just a little bit from the baking powder i think) so im guessing the higher your batter is, the taller the cakes gonna be. so maybe use a smaller pan might help? Btw, when I open the link to leads me to fb main page for some reasons? ><

I so wish that I could have a slice of your carrot cake right now! It looks incredible. I'm shocked that bananas cost over ten dollars a pound in Australia, although it makes total sense that it would cost a lot more to ship bananas so far!

Your photos are beautiful :) and well done for taking your camera out all the time. I only take mine when I am eating cos its so damn heavy lol, but I always see things I would like to snap when I am cameraless

I see why you take great pictures all the time! You "practice"! The snaps you took are all beautiful. Your eyes are trained to take good pictures. I bring camera out to take kids pictures, but I mostly failed maybe because they move too much. Hehee. Your carrot cake looks delicious. I didn't know this existence until I came to the US, and still refused to eat it (I can accept pumpkin but not carrot in sweets) for many years...until kids party offered a carrot cake and I had to eat it... DELICIOUS. I wasted many years not eating it and now I'm catching up. Yours look PERFECT.

Hi, Just made your yummy carrot cake. Thanks for sharing that great recipe...it's so delicious for morning tea. I used honey & orange juice in a low-fat cream cheese for the frosting though. I've posted a photo here if you want to check out mine! http://pinterest.com/pin/186617978279371300/

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